This one got shoved to the back, fell under the radar, however you wish to describe receiving no attention in view of the larger, splashier media event in CO.
Here's a news flash; guns don't kill people; stupid, sick people USING guns kill people, more than any other deliberate method of harming, threatening, or killing people. More guns consistently equate to more gun violence, not less, and fewer guns equate to less incidence of gun violence. People like this guy, and our gun culture generally are why that is true.
That guy was trying to commit suicide by cop, hoping to provoke law enforcement into killing him.
Except that he chickened out, and left, leaving one person in critical condition, two others in serious condition -- neither of whom wanted to be shot apparently. But heck, if you've got yourself a gun, what does it matter what OTHER people want, right? Because THAT makes sense doesn't it? I mean, how important is it that people who have guns have their heads screwed on straight or are capable of cogent thought?
Is being capable of cogent thought and rational thinking as important as a Constitutional Right for dangerous people? You shouldn't have to THINK to have a gun, should you?
Right? Just nod y'all.
So.........why did the shooter do it (allegedly)? I'm sure it seemed like a good idea, at the time. I'm sure that could be said for all of our recent mass shootings, copycat shootings, and just plain regular run of the mill shootings, murder / suicides, kidnappings, law enforcement encounters, etc.
He teared up after being taken into custody; do you think there are hundreds of people on facebook in support of him too, arguing HE should be given a second chance, you know........just because?
From AL.com
Tuscaloosa bar shooting suspect to Jasper police: 'I wanted the Tuscaloosa Police Department to kill me'
JASPER, Alabama -- A suspect in the mass shooting at a Tuscaloosa bar early today told authorities shortly after his capture that he wanted to die.
"The only thing he said was that he wanted to die and was hoping the Tuscaloosa Police Department had killed him last night," said Jasper Police Capt. Larry Cantrell. "He said, 'I wanted the Tuscaloosa police to kill me, but I got scared and left before they got there."
Authorities said 44-year-old Nathan Van Wilkins drove a white Ford F-150 pickup truck from Tuscaloosa to Jasper, where his sister lives. The truck is parked in the lot at the city's Wal-Mart and is being kept there under police guard while investigators obtain a search warrant, Cantrell said.
Cantrell said police received a tip from a family member that Wilkins was in Jasper. Moments later, they received a call from a FedEx worker saying the wanted man was in the store and had confessed to the shooting that wounded 17 people in the Copper Top bar.
"Within 15 minutes, the parking lot was filled up with U.S. Marshals," Cantrell said. "They had tracked him here also, and were in Oakman when they got the call we had him."
When Jasper police went into FedEx, "He threw his hands straight up in the air and said, 'I am the guy you're looking for. I shot those people."
Cantrell said Wilkins teared up as he was escorted into the Jasper City Jail. "He wasn't sobbing or anything, but he did tear up."
Wilkins was charged with 17 counts of attempted murder and one count of shooting into an occupied building in the Copper Top shooting. He was also charged with one count of attempted murder and one count of shooting into an occupied dwelling in a late Monday night shooting in Northport.
From MSNBC.com and Alabama Ch. 13:
UPDATE: Police say 17 injured in shooting at a bar in Tuscaloosa
Here's a news flash; guns don't kill people; stupid, sick people USING guns kill people, more than any other deliberate method of harming, threatening, or killing people. More guns consistently equate to more gun violence, not less, and fewer guns equate to less incidence of gun violence. People like this guy, and our gun culture generally are why that is true.
That guy was trying to commit suicide by cop, hoping to provoke law enforcement into killing him.
Except that he chickened out, and left, leaving one person in critical condition, two others in serious condition -- neither of whom wanted to be shot apparently. But heck, if you've got yourself a gun, what does it matter what OTHER people want, right? Because THAT makes sense doesn't it? I mean, how important is it that people who have guns have their heads screwed on straight or are capable of cogent thought?
Is being capable of cogent thought and rational thinking as important as a Constitutional Right for dangerous people? You shouldn't have to THINK to have a gun, should you?
Right? Just nod y'all.
So.........why did the shooter do it (allegedly)? I'm sure it seemed like a good idea, at the time. I'm sure that could be said for all of our recent mass shootings, copycat shootings, and just plain regular run of the mill shootings, murder / suicides, kidnappings, law enforcement encounters, etc.
He teared up after being taken into custody; do you think there are hundreds of people on facebook in support of him too, arguing HE should be given a second chance, you know........just because?
From AL.com
Tuscaloosa bar shooting suspect to Jasper police: 'I wanted the Tuscaloosa Police Department to kill me'
JASPER, Alabama -- A suspect in the mass shooting at a Tuscaloosa bar early today told authorities shortly after his capture that he wanted to die.
"The only thing he said was that he wanted to die and was hoping the Tuscaloosa Police Department had killed him last night," said Jasper Police Capt. Larry Cantrell. "He said, 'I wanted the Tuscaloosa police to kill me, but I got scared and left before they got there."
Authorities said 44-year-old Nathan Van Wilkins drove a white Ford F-150 pickup truck from Tuscaloosa to Jasper, where his sister lives. The truck is parked in the lot at the city's Wal-Mart and is being kept there under police guard while investigators obtain a search warrant, Cantrell said.
"Within 15 minutes, the parking lot was filled up with U.S. Marshals," Cantrell said. "They had tracked him here also, and were in Oakman when they got the call we had him."
When Jasper police went into FedEx, "He threw his hands straight up in the air and said, 'I am the guy you're looking for. I shot those people."
Cantrell said Wilkins teared up as he was escorted into the Jasper City Jail. "He wasn't sobbing or anything, but he did tear up."
Wilkins was charged with 17 counts of attempted murder and one count of shooting into an occupied building in the Copper Top shooting. He was also charged with one count of attempted murder and one count of shooting into an occupied dwelling in a late Monday night shooting in Northport.
From MSNBC.com and Alabama Ch. 13:
UPDATE: Police say 17 injured in shooting at a bar in Tuscaloosa
We all know more guns make us more free, and more guns make us more safe.
Right?
Right?
Continuing from Ch 13
UPDATE 10:30 a.m. - Play by Play of Tuscaloosa mass shooting press conference:
Per Tuscaloosa Police Department Chief Steven Anderson:
Victims are talking, but it’s unclear how many shots were fired. Officials are unclear about how were many hit by projectiles and other hits by shrapnel.
According to Chief Anderson, one individual is in very critical condition, 3 in serious condition.
Chief Anderson said the shooter stood there for a few minutes before shooting.
The shooter used a military style assault weapon. When the individual fired shots that person moved individual moved from section to section – shooting from the outside.
They canvassed the area and sent out a helicopter to see if anyone was wounded.
Investigators are collecting shell casings and submitting them.
At Northport around 11:47pm last night there was a separate shooting at a residence – at least two inside—one wounded.
read more on the original report here.
And here is what happened next.
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